Rihanna went to hospital, Brown may go to prison after DA cannot ignore photo of apparently savage beating
By Jeffrey Jolson and Matthew B. Zeidman

Police photo of Rihanna after beating

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 3/5/09 – An police photo can speak a thousand words as the L.A. District Attorney has charged star singer Chris Brown has been charged with two felonies for his alleged beating of an equally large star, his (assumedly former) girlfriend Rihanna on Grammy eve, including assault and making criminal threats. His arraignment hearing is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. PT today.
The charges are the latest development in a drama that began nearly a month ago when he and girlfriend Rihanna canceled appearances at the Feb. 8 Grammys as Brown was booked and released in Los Angeles on a felony charge of suspicion of making a criminal threat to a woman.
And while police had not named the woman in the case, hours before the incident, Brown, 19, was seen leaving a Feb. 7 pre-Grammys party with girlfriend Rihanna, 21.
A week after the incident and amid reports the Virginia native was “home” with family, Brown issued a statement through his publicist “Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired,” he said. “I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God’s help, to emerging a better person. Much of what has been speculated or reported on blogs and/or reported in the media is wrong. While I would like to be able to talk about this more, until the legal issues are resolved, this is all I can say except that I have not written any messages or made any posts to Facebook, on blogs or any place else. Those posts or writings under my name are frauds.”
Singer Rihanna broke her silence Feb. 20 regarding the alleged beating she suffered at the hands of her ex-boyfriend, pop star Chris Brown, by releasing a statement about the Feb. 8 incident.
“At the request of the authorities, Rihanna is not commenting about the incident involving Chris Brown,” reps from Rubenstein Associates said in a statement. “She wants to assure her fans that she remains strong, is doing well, and deeply appreciates the outpouring of support she has received during this difficult time.”
The statement was released one day after celebrity tabloid TMZ leaked an apparently official police photo taken of Rihanna after the incident to document her injuries, which included several bruises and cuts to the face. The origin of the image was not revealed.
Brown, 19, has been largely silent after turning himself in to police the night of the purported altercation, saying in a statement Sunday that he was “sorry and saddened,” but not addressing blame or discussing the details of the case. He is currently free on bail, but has not been formally charged with any crime.
Rihanna, 21, whose legal name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, is known for dance-friendly hits, such as “Umbrella” and “Shut Up and Drive.” In February 2008, she worked with international donor network DKMS to find a bone marrow donor for a New York mother of two who was fighting leukemia.